Report of ‘Rogue’ Probe of Chief Termed False : Police: Sources deny magazine story that LAPD officers conducted unauthorized inquiry in Las Vegas.

Intelligence detectives did not compile a dossier on Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams’ activities in Las Vegas and then leak it to a critic, a well-informed police source and the critic said Tuesday, contradicting a report in Newsweek magazine.

Newsweek, quoting anonymous police sources, attributed Williams’ current problems to a “rogue operation” in which the Police Department’s Organized Crime Intelligence Division conducted an unauthorized probe of the chief, including surveillance, then leaked its findings to retired Deputy Chief Stephen Downing.

Downing wrote the Police Commission in December urging it to investigate rumors about Williams, including one that the chief had accepted free rooms from a Las Vegas hotel. This month, the commission concluded its investigation into the allegations in Downing’s letter by reprimanding Williams for lying when he denied having received free rooms, sources have told The Times. Williams has denied that he lied, blaming a misunderstanding.

Downing on Tuesday laughed about the report that Organized Crime Intelligence Division detectives had turned over a dossier to him. “I had no information; I was only reporting rumors,” he said. Even Williams said Tuesday he did not believe he was under surveillance.

According to a well-informed police source, Williams in February ordered an internal investigation into the truth of an account similar to Newsweek’s that was broadcast by a local television station.

That investigation showed that Las Vegas police intelligence officers had indeed made inquiries about Williams’ activities in their city, but it was unable to resolve whether Las Vegas authorities were acting on their own or at the behest of the OCID, the source said.

According to the source, the genesis of the inquiry came when a Las Vegas intelligence official told an LAPD counterpart in early 1994 that Williams had been seen in Las Vegas in the company of a “high roller.” There was no insinuation that the chief had done anything wrong, the source said.

But later, the LAPD detective’s curiosity was piqued when Williams--in a move seen as controversial within the department--stayed in Las Vegas to celebrate his wedding anniversary rather than return to Los Angeles to console the family of a slain police officer.

The LAPD detective asked his Las Vegas counterpart if any more information about the chief had come to light.

The LAPD detective said his counterpart said no and the matter was dropped. But the Las Vegas official said the other detective asked him to investigate further.

Las Vegas police approached the chief of security at Caesars Palace, where Williams stayed, the source said. But the security chief balked at providing information and complained to high-ranking Las Vegas police that the inquiry was inappropriate.

Times staff writer Henry Chu contributed to this story.